Popular Austin ice cream shop serves one of America's best vegan treats

Popular Austin ice cream shop has one of America's best vegan treats

Animal-loving PETA already named Austin one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the country, but this new list is even sweeter. Local ice cream shop Sweet Ritual's scrumptious banana split is among PETA's Top 10 Vegan Sweet Treats in the U.S.

"At Sweet Ritual, diners can indulge their sweet tooth while being sweet to animals," says PETA president Ingrid Newkirk in a release. "As PETA's coast-to-coast list of decadent desserts proves, choosing vegan treats today is a piece of cake."

The Banana Split Split comes with three ice creams scoops and three toppings of your choice, sandwiched in between caramelized banana halves. PETA also points to the popular Unicorn Poop ice cream flavor, which consists of candies and beet juice, as another reason to visit.

All of Sweet Ritual's offerings are vegan and scratch-made, with plenty of several gluten-free and allergy-friendly options. The successful shop, co-owned by Amelia Raley and Valerie Ward, opened in 2011 inside Juiceland's Hyde Park location and moved to a stand-alone outpost on Airport Boulevard last year.

The Chocolate Nirvana cake from Sublime Restaurant & Bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is PETA's top pick. The rest of the list, which is unranked, ranges from croissants in Salt Lake City to coconut pie in Detroit; Sweet Ritual is the only ice cream parlor to make the cut.